Lanka wants stronger ties with Iran

Sri Lanka is keen on further strengthening ties with Iran, President Mahinda Rajapaksa said today during a meeting with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani.

President Rajapaksa and Iranian President Rouhani held bilateral talks this evening on the sidelines of the 4th Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA), taking place in Shanghai, China.

President Rajapaksa said that the two countries have been working very closely together and supporting each other and that Sri Lanka is keen on further strengthening ties, especially in the area of trade. The President said Sri Lanka would like to explore “all avenues of enhancing bilateral trade of goods and services.”

President Rouhani said Iran too is interested in enhancing the bilateral relations. Recalling the meeting between the two leaders in New York City during last year’s U.N. General Assembly, President Rouhani said he was happy to have the opportunity to meet President Rajapaksa again.

“We also would like to development economic relations between our two countries,” President Rouhani said. President Rajapaksa also thanked Iran for the assistance it has extended to Sri Lanka in a variety of projects. (Colombo Gazette)